Our Opinion
As Kentucky’s third-largest city, Bowling Green deserves a chance to be in the running to try to get a commercial airline.
For
years, Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, local and state
officials have worked tirelessly to get a commercial airline here. Given
the size of our city and surrounding counties, we believe an airline
service would succeed here.
Chances of that happening got a lot
better Thursday when it was announced the airport would get $750,000
from the state to aid in attracting a commercial air service.
The
money has been committed to the airport in the second year of the
biennium to be part of an incentive package to attract an airline into
an unproven Bowling Green market.
With this money, the airport
will be able to present a $2 million incentive package to airlines to
encourage them to come to the airport.
Having this money will allow the airport to be much more competitive in its recruitment of airlines.
The
money is expected to be available by July 15, 2015, which will give the
airport time to speak with airlines and begin the planning process for
bringing in service. The airport will look for a service connecting to
Chicago or Atlanta.
Having a commercial air service in our city
would be convenient. About 700,000 people annually travel to the
Nashville airport to fly from the 10-county area. Some of those air
travelers more than likely would fly out of our airport if we had a
commercial service rather than driving an hour to Nashville to catch a
plane.
Think of the large amounts of funds we lose to cities such
as Nashville because we don’t have commercial service. If we do get
that service, a significant amount of that money would stay right here.
That would be great for our local and state economy.
Earlier
this year, we were disappointed that Gov. Steve Beshear decided to veto
this money that was set aside in the transportation budget by the
General Assembly.
Beshear took the appropriate action by releasing these funds.
It’s
exciting to know that we now have this extra advantage with this
funding to try to lure a commercial airline. We wish all involved in
recruitment the best of luck and look forward to hearing news of a
commercial airline contract in the near future.
Source: http://www.bgdailynews.com/Our Opinion
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